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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

I'm sure this recipe can be made from scratch but I'm not ready to go that far. (Not with all of the projects I have going on at the moment.) This recipe is a much simpler version...Cupcakes!!! I included the original recipe but I use apple sauce instead of diet soda.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven per directions on cake mix box.
2. Line cupcake pan(s) with 24 cupcake liners or use cooking
spray to lightly coat 24 spots.
3. Combine the cake mix, soda and egg whites in a large bowl.
Beat together with an electric mixer until thoroughly mixed. Pour mixture
evenly into cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
4. Bake according to directions on cake mix box. Let cool
completely.
5. In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, vanilla extract,
peppermint extract and the sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and
then use to frost the cupcakes. Sprinkle frosted cupcakes with crushed candy
cane pieces.

Monday, July 30, 2012

I'm ready for another busy week so I'll just get to the recipe! I'm sharing my meatless meal for you today and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. I found the recipe from the Meatless Monday website.*I saved myself a bit of time and made Texas Caviar ahead of time and used this mixture for my Tostadas*

Black Bean Tostadas

serves 6

Ingredients:

1 15 oz can black beans

½ teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

6 whole-wheat tortillas

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 oz Monterey Jack Cheese, grated

4 cups frozen corn, thawed

1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

1 avocado, diced

1 bunch scallions, chopped

1 lime

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine black beans, garlic salt and chili
powder. Divide the bean mixture into two parts.

Brush both sides of tortillas with olive oil and place on a
baking sheet. Top three of the tortillas with cheese and half the seasoned
beans and leave the other three tortillas with just olive oil. Set the other
half of the beans aside. Heat tortillas in the oven for about 10 minutes.

While the tostadas are heating, in a large mixing bowl,
combine the corn, tomatoes, avocados, scallions and lime juice. Divide the corn
relish into two parts. Combine one part of the corn relish with the reserved
beans.*Since I used Texas Caviar, I topped my tostadas with the mixture then added the tomatoes and avocado on top of that.*

When tortillas and beans are thoroughly heated, remove them
from the oven. Cut the plain tortillas into bite sized strips to eat dipped in
the seasoned bean corn relish. Finish the bean and cheese topped tortillas with
the reserved corn relish and enjoy!

To prepare crust: Combine gingersnaps and raisins in a food processor and pulse
until finely chopped. Add oil and pulse until blended. Press evenly into the
bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan.

Bake the crust until set, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool
completely.

To prepare filling: Combine pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger
and nutmeg in a large bowl and mix well. Add ice cream and stir until blended.
Spoon the mixture into the cooled pie crust. Freeze until firm, at least 2
hours. Let the pie soften slightly in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes
before serving.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

You could probably use regular couscous (not from a box) but I had a box lying around from the last time they went on sale (plus a coupon) so it was pretty cheap. Mint however, is something that I am not growing in my garden at the moment. Basil on the other hand I have an abundance of so I used Purple Opal Basil instead.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

I just wouldn't be happy making all of these no-bake recipes without including a few desserts here and there. Would you believe this recipe is healthy? Well, it is and it's low-fat!

I need to be perfectly honest here. The first time I made this it sucked! (And I don't normally say that about anything food related)

I accidentally bought 90% dark chocolate instead of 70% and it was super bitter. I didn't have half-and-half but I had heavy whipping cream left over from another creation. To make matters worse, I left the chocolate in the microwave a bit too long.

I'm not one to let a little no-bake recipe get the better of me so off to the store I went to pick up more ingredients. The second time around was much better! I used milk chocolate and half-and-half this time and it was delicious!

Place chopped chocolate in a 2-cup glass measure or small
microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on 70% power (medium-high) for 1
minute; stir. Microwave on 70% power for 1 to 2 minutes more, or until
chocolate is melted, stirring every 15 seconds.

In a food processor bowl combine cheese, half-and-half, and
vanilla. Cover and process until combined. Add melted chocolate while food
processor is running. Process until well combined. Spoon into demitasse cups or
small bowls. Serve immediately, or cover and chill for up to 24 hours. If
desired, garnish with fresh berries and mint leaves.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

This is a great recipe for those of us who grow our own sprouts! Growing sprouts is SO MUCH EASIER than growing a full sized tomato or zucchini plant and you can do it in a house, with a mouse, on a train or in the rain...Especially for you apartment dwellers!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

I said I'd give you a recipe for slow cooker leftovers right? Wraps are one of my favorite recipes for leftovers. Feel free to throw in a little of this or a little of that!

Spicy Chicken Wraps

Ingredients:Leftover Chicken (or beef)

1/2 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup Salsa

6 -10 inches red, green, and/or plain flour tortillas

3 cups shredded spinach leaves

2/3 cup sliced almonds

1 ripe avocado, halved, seeded, and peeled

Directions

Mix cream cheese and salsa in a small bowl.

On one tortilla spread the cheese mixture, leaving 1-inch
border around the edges. Top with a layer of spinach. Sprinkle with about 2
tablespoons almonds and about 1/4 cup chicken. Add Avocado slices. Roll up tightly. Secure with a party pick, if
necessary, to prevent unrolling.

Monday, July 16, 2012

I mentioned on Saturday that we are going Meatless on Monday. That means in between my No-Bake series I'll be posting meatless recipes which may or may not require baking.

Why Meatless on Monday? I'm glad you asked! I found a ton of useful info at MeatlessMonday.com about the health and environmental benefits of going meatless one day a week. While we don't eat meat every day, this is a great opportunity to plan out my week of meals (SO much more on that later).

According to meatlessmonday.com
"Going meatless once a week may reduce your risk of chronic
preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and
obesity. It can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save
precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.
Read about these benefits below. But keep in mind that just going
meatless is not enough. That’s why we give you the information you need
to add healthy, environmentally friendly meat-free alternatives to your
diet each week. Further, if you do eat meat on other days, we strongly
recommend grass-fed, hormone-free, locally-raised options whenever
possible."

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Sundays are usually laid back in our house. Hubby and I make our weekly trip to the farmer's market and we hit the gym around 3pm. Salads and protein shakes are a staple for us, along with delicious desserts! Since I'm on a No-Bake kick, today I'm using up the last of the leftover grilled chicken on a bed of greens.

Directions:Add your greens into 2 bowls. Top with chicken and cucumber slices.

Peel the boiled eggs and prepare using an egg slicer. Add eggs to salad.

Add all of the yummy toppings, salad dressing and Serve!

While you're at it, you might want to distract the curious kitten or you'll end up needing a little first aid like I did. Have you ever had a kitten attach themselves to the back of your leg while you're wearing shorts?

Saturday, July 14, 2012

I probably don't even have to mention this but IT'S HOT! Of course South Florida is always hot! I even have the wunderground app on my phone (thanks honey!) just to let me know how brutally hot it is outside.

Okay, I'll quit complaining and get to the good stuff! I'm trying to conserve gas/electricity by not using the oven and heating up the house so for the next few days (maybe weeks) I'll be posting no-bake recipes. AND if that wasn't enough for you, we have decided to go meatless on Mondays. We don't eat meat every day but this will give me a better way to plan our meals. On to the recipe!

On one tortilla spread 1/4 cup of the avocado mixture,
leaving 1-inch border around the edges. Top with a layer of spinach. Sprinkle
with a scant 2 tablespoons almonds and about 1/4 cup shrimp. Roll up tightly.
Secure with a party pick, if necessary, to prevent unrolling. Repeat with
remaining tortillas, avocado mixture, spinach, almonds, and shrimp.

Place rolled tortillas on a tray or platter. Cover and chill
up to 4 hours before serving. To serve, cut each rolled tortilla into 1-inch
slices, discarding ends. Secure with party picks, if necessary. Arrange slices
on a serving platter. Makes about 36 slices.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Since I was on a roll making Polar Bear Cupcakes last weekend I decided to try my hand and Paw Cupcakes. I had all of the necessary tools since I went crazy at the grocery store buying everything I might need (and then some)!

I won't bore you with the details of making cupcakes or frosting. Normally I would make everything from scratch but as usual I was running late! First, frost the cupcakes with vanilla or white frosting. Don't be shy, slather it on!

Next, load your chocolate frosting into your decorator bag, or in my case your handy-dandy ziploc bag. Make the larger circle with chocolate frosting and fill it in. Now add three brown reese's pieces to complete the paws.

Don't forget to eat a few as you go. YUM!*Update* You can reverse the colors by using chocolate frosting first then marshmallows for the paw. Use small and large marshmallows just like when we made Polar Bear Cupcakes. Cut the end off the large marshmallow and there you have it!

Monday, July 9, 2012

I had a special request from a special someone. For her birthday she wanted Polar Bear cupcakes. How could I say no? Sure I can make those! Right? Um...A google search followed and I found over a hundred pictures of polar bear cupcakes.

But here's the catch...She doesn't like coconut! On to another search! I found a great picture but no tutorial. I'm going to attempt to show you how to make polar bear cupcakes! Because I was short on time I used packages cupcakes and pre-made frosting. Feel free to make these from scratch!

DIY decorator bag: Take a ziploc baggie, fill the corner with frosting and snip of the tip.

Begin by frosting you cupcakes with white frosting. Take a large marshmallow and cut in half for the nose. Place the marshmallows on the cupcake before you draw the nose. Use the black decorating gel or chocolate frosting and draw the nose. Use the small marshmallows for the ears. I cut those in half also so they didn't stick out so far.

Use the black decorating gel or chocolate frosting again to make eyes for the bear.

This one looks a little angry!

That's it! If I can do it so can you! While I was in cupcake mode I made a few other funky cupcakes which I'll share throughout the week. Enjoy!

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Yes, it IS 5 o'clock somewhere! I'm not sure why but I really wanted to make margaritas and I had half a watermelon left so here goes. I sorta just threw everything together and then found a recipe online to share. I don't use salt so feel free to add that to your directions if you are so inclined. This delicious concoction is a spectacular summer treat. Enjoy!

Watermelon Margaritas

(Serves 2):

1 1/2 C watermelon, chilled, seeded and cut into pieces

1/4 C lime juice, freshly squeezed

1/4 C silver (white) tequila

1/4 C Triple Sec (or Cointreau)

8 large ice cubes

Add all of the ingredients except for the ice into the
blender and blend for a minute or two.
Add Ice and blend for another minute. Serve!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

My garden is currently a disaster! We adopted a 5 week old kitten almost 3 weeks ago and it's been almost 100 degrees every day for the last 2...maybe 4 weeks. We try to stay close to home (or just not leave the house) on the 4th. Traffic is crazy, people get drunk and I worry about fireworks frightening our children (the feline variety).

Where was I going with this? Right...I had this great idea yesterday! I finally made it out to the garden and realized my basil plants were in serious need of a trim.

What do you do when life gives you extra Basil?Make Basil Lemonade! I didn't use a recipe and I didn't use much sugar. This is a great recipe to use any extra basil cuttings or even basil flowers. I'm going to include my instructions plus an additional recipe for something a bit sweeter.

Basil Lemonade

I like things simple! I have a variety of jars but for this recipe I used large, wide-mouth Ball jars (quart size) and empty Mason jars (24 ounce?) from pasta sauce. 2 jars have Purple Opal Basil and 2 have Fine Verde Basil.

Ingredients:Basil: 3 long sprigs per jarLemons: 1/2 a sliced lemon per jarSugar: 1-2 tablespoon per jar (or use stevia)Water

Directions:Place appropriate amount of water in a large pot and boil. While you wait, add the Basil, Lemons and Sugar to each jar.

Once your water has boiled, pour into filled jars. Let the jars cool until you can handle them. Screw the tops onto your jars and place in the fridge. Wait about an hour and shake up the jars then put back into the fridge. Lemonade should be ready in 6-12 hours depending on how strong you like it.

In a saucepan, cook water and sugar over medium heat until
the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is a clear syrup. Set aside.

To a pitcher, add lemon juice, simple syrup, and cold water.
Stir and taste. If too sweet (every batch is different according to your
lemons), add more cold water until desired sweetness is reached. Add basil,
lemon rounds and ice just before serving. Stir and serve.

Notes

The amount of juice you'll get from each lemon will vary,
but typically you can get 1c of lemon juice from 4-6 lemons.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Taken from History.com :
"Variously known as the Fourth of July and Independence Day, July 4th has
been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of
Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American
Revolution (1775-83). In June 1776, representatives of the 13 colonies then
fighting in the revolutionary struggle weighed a resolution that would declare
their independence from Great
Britain. On July 2nd, the Continental
Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later its delegates
adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas
Jefferson. From 1776 until the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the
birth of American independence, with typical festivities ranging from
fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and
barbecues."

It's not all about barbecues and fireworks! It's about
Freedom and Independence,
something many people take for granted.

The History
Channel has a few great videos which we have found very informative.
Even Netflix has a PBS series that's worth watching called Liberty.

A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against
every government, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on
inference. ~Thomas Jefferson

A wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from
injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their
own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of
labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government, and this is
necessary to close the circle of our felicities. ~Thomas Jefferson

Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of
liberty abused to licentiousness. ~George Washington

Experience teaches us that it is much easier to prevent an
enemy from posting themselves than it is to dislodge them after they have got
possession.

~George Washington

Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war. ~John
Adams

I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty
to study mathematics and philosophy.

About Me

You may have noticed that the price on food, especially produce has been going up.The quality, not to mention the nutritional value, has been suffering for quite a while.
Heirloom seeds or seeds that have been passed down for generations are
far hardier and as some studies suggest, have more nutritional value
than genetically modified (GMO) seeds.I don't sell
anything that I wouldn't grow in my own garden. All of the seeds
listed are un-treated, non-hybrid, open-pollinated, non-gmo, heirloom
seeds. Plants are grown using no chemicals.

Anyway, I
have been growing my own vegetables and besides the money they save me
the flavor is WAY better than the vegetables available at the
supermarket.It also makes me feel less dependent on the supply and I know what goes on my veggies.I
put together a few packages of seeds that seem to belong together and
the individual seeds are available also. Food prices are not going down
and growing your own food, especially heirloom veggies, is a great way
to save money and get more nutrition for your dollar. Happy planting,Mary